# 2004 in hip-hop

This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in hip hop music for the year 2004.

## Released albums

| Release Date | Artist | Album | Label |
| January 20 | Dizzee Rascal | Boy in da Corner | Bank Records |
| January 27 | Twista | Kamikaze | Atlantic Records |
| February 3 | Micranots | The Emperor & the Assassin | Rhymesayers Entertainment |
| February 10 | Kanye West | The College Dropout | Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| February 10 | Drag-On | Hell and Back | Ruff Ryders, Virgin Records |
| February 24 | Z-Ro | The Life of Joseph W. McVey | Rap-a-Lot Records |
| February 24 | Royce da 5'9 | Death is Certain | E1 Music |
| February 24 | Trillville and Lil Scrappy | The King of Crunk & BME Recordings Present: Trillville & Lil Scrappy | Warner Bros. Records, Black Market Records, Warner Records, Reprise Records |
| February 24 | Young Gunz | Tough Luv | Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| March 1 | Noah23 & Jaffa Gate | Ancient Israelites Older Than Anorthosite | Northstar Imprint |
| March 2 | Cee-Lo Green | Cee-Lo Green... Is the Soul Machine | Arista Records |
| March 2 | Beans | Now Soon Someday [EP] | |
| March 3 | Tunnel Rats | Tunnel Rats | Uprok Records |
| March 16 | cLOUDDEAD | Ten |
| March 23 | Blockhead | Music by Cavelight | Ninja Tune |
| March 23 | Cypress Hill | Till Death Do Us Part | Columbia Records |
| March 23 | Eyedea & Abilities | E&A | Rhymesayers Entertainment |
| March 23 | Madvillain | Madvillainy | Stones Throw Records |
| March 23 | MURS & 9th Wonder | Murs 3:16 The 9th Edition | Definitive Jux |
| March 23 | N*E*R*D | Fly or Die | Star Trak Entertainment, Virgin Records |
| March 23 | Skatterman & Snug Brim | Urban Legendz | Strange Music |
| March 30 | Lil Flip | U Gotta Feel Me | Sucka Free, Clover G, Columbia, Sony Urban |
| April 6 | Dark Lotus | Black Rain | Psychopathic Records |
| April 6 | Dilated Peoples | Neighborhood Watch | Capitol Records |
| April 6 | Non Phixion | The Green CD/DVD | Uncle Howie Records |
| April 13 | Illogic | Celestial Clockwork | Weightless Recordings |
| April 13 | Plague Language | Farewell Archetypes | Legendary Entertainment, Plague Language |
| April 20 | Automato | Automato | |
| April 20 | Ghostface Killah | The Pretty Toney Album | Def Jam Recordings |
| April 27 | D12 | D12 World | Shady Records, Interscope Records |
| May 4 | Ill Bill | What's Wrong with Bill? | Psycho+Logical-Records |
| May 11 | Gift of Gab | 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up | Quannum Projects |
| May 11 | MF Grimm | Special Herbs + Spices Volume 1 | Day by Day Entertainment |
| May 11 | Pete Rock | Soul Survivor II | BBE Records |
| May 18 | Method Man | Tical 0: The Prequel | Def Jam Recordings |
| May 18 | The Streets | A Grand Don't Come for Free | |
| May 18 | Twiztid | Cryptic Collection Vol. 3 | Psychopathic Records |
| May 20 | Lecrae | Real Talk | Reach Records |
| June 1 | Masta Killa | No Said Date | Nature Sounds |
| June 8 | The X-Ecutioners | The Revolutions | Sony Music |
| June 8 | Spice 1 | The Ridah | |
| June 15 | Beastie Boys | To the 5 Boroughs | Capitol Records |
| June 15 | Proof | I Miss the Hip Hop Shop | Iron Fist Records |
| June 15 | Sabac Red | Sabacolypse: A Change Gon' Come | Psycho+Logical-Records |
| June 22 | Erick Sermon | Chilltown, New York | Motown Records |
| June 22 | Jadakiss | Kiss of Death | Ruff Ryders Entertainment, Interscope Records |
| June 22 | Phat Kat | The Undeniable LP | Barak Records |
| June 27 | Noah23 | Sigma Octantis | Legendary Entertainment, Plague Language |
| June 27 | Noah23 | Mitochondrial Blues | Legendary Entertainment, Plague Language |
| June 29 | Goodie Mob | One Monkey Don't Stop No Show | Koch Records |
| June 29 | Headset | Space Settings | |
| June 29 | Lloyd Banks | The Hunger For More | G-Unit Records, Interscope Records |
| June 29 | Slum Village | Detroit Deli: A Taste of Detroit | Capitol Records |
| June 29 | Lil Wayne | Tha Carter | Cash Money Records |
| July 13 | Leak Bros. | Waterworld | Eastern Conference Records |
| July 13 | The Pharcyde | Humboldt Beginnings | |
| July 13 | Project: Deadman | Self Inflicted | Strange Music |
| July 13 | The Roots | The Tipping Point | Geffen Records |
| July 13 | 7L & Esoteric | DC2: Bars of Death | Babygrande Records |
| July 27 | Anybody Killa | Dirty History | Psychopathic Records |
| July 27 | Bigg Jus | Black Mamba Serums v2.0 | Big Dada Recordings |
| July 27 | OuterSpace | Blood and Ashes | Babygrande Records |
| August 3 | Masta Ace | A Long Hot Summer | M3 Records |
| August 3 | MF Doom | VV:2 | Insomniac, Inc. |
| August 3 | Theodore Unit | 718 | |
| August 10 | Brand Nubian | Fire in the Hole | Babygrande Records |
| August 10 | Kutt Calhoun | B.L.E.V.E. | Strange Music |
| August 10 | Mobb Deep | Amerikaz Nightmare | Jive Records |
| August 10 | Mr. Hyde | Barn of the Naked Dead | Psycho+Logical-Records |
| August 10 | Shyne | Godfather Buried Alive | Def Jam Recordings |
| August 17 | Northern State | All City | |
| August 17 | 213 | The Hard Way | Doggystyle Records, G-Funk Entertainment, Dogg Foundation, TVT Records |
| August 24 | The Foreign Exchange | Connected | Barely Breaking Even |
| August 24 | Jedi Mind Tricks | Legacy of Blood | Babygrande Records |
| August 24 | Jim Jones | On My Way to Church | Diplomat Records, Koch Records |
| August 24 | Ma$e | Welcome Back | Bad Boy Entertainment |
| August 24 | MC Breed | The New Prescription | Psychopathic Records |
| August 24 | Young Buck | Straight Outta Ca$hville | G-Unit Records, Interscope Records |
| August 31 | Insane Clown Posse | The Wraith: Hell's Pit | Psychopathic Records |
| August 31 | LL Cool J | The DEFinition | Def Jam Recordings |
| September 7 | Rob Sonic | Telicatessen | Definitive Jux |
| September 14 | Dizzee Rascal | Showtime | |
| September 14 | Nelly | Sweat | Derrty Entertainment, Universal Records |
| September 14 | Nelly | Suit | Derrty Entertainment, Universal Records |
| September 21 | Jean Grae | This Week | Babygrande Records |
| September 21 | k-os | Joyful Rebellion | |
| September 21 | Lil' Romeo | Romeoland | The New No Limit Records, Koch Records |
| September 21 | Necro | The Pre-Fix for Death | Psycho+Logical-Records |
| September 21 | Saul Williams | Saul Williams | Fader Label |
| September 28 | Heiruspecs | A Tiger Dancing | |
| September 28 | Shawnna | Worth tha Weight | Disturbing tha Peace, Def Jam Recordings |
| September 28 | Guerilla Black | Guerilla City | Virgin Records |
| September 28 | Talib Kweli | The Beautiful Struggle | Rawkus Records |
| October 5 | De La Soul | The Grind Date | AOI Records |
| October 5 | I-20 | Self Explanatory | Disturbing tha Peace, Capitol Records |
| October 12 | Gold Chains And Curly Cie | When The World Was Our Friend | |
| October 12 | Mos Def | The New Danger | Rawkus Records, Geffen Records |
| October 19 | Beans | Shock City Maverick | |
| October 19 | Bizzy Bone | Alpha and Omega | |
| October 19 | Blaze Ya Dead Homie | Colton Grundy: The Undying | Psychopathic Records |
| October 19 | Lil Wyte | Phinally Phamous | Hypnotize Minds |
| October 19 | Q-Unique | Vengeance is Mine | Uncle Howie Records |
| October 26 | Afrika Bambaataa | Dark Matter Moving at the Speed of Light | Tommy Boy Records |
| October 26 | Goretex | The Art of Dying | Psycho+Logical-Records |
| October 26 | Lateef & the Chief | Maroons: Ambush | Quannum Projects |
| October 26 | Jay-Z & R. Kelly | Unfinished Business | Roc-A-Fella Records, Def Jam Recordings, Jive Records, Rockland Records |
| Trick Daddy | Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets | Atlantic Records |
| November 1 | Noah23 | Jupiter Sajitarius | 2nd Rec |
| November 9 | Ed O.G. | My Own Worst Enemy | |
| November 9 | Fabolous | Real Talk | Desert Storm Records, Elektra Records |
| November 9 | Handsome Boy Modeling School | White People | Elektra Records |
| November 9 | Ja Rule | R.U.L.E. | Murder Inc. Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| November 12 | Eminem | Encore | Shady Records, Aftermath Entertainment, Interscope Records, Web Entertainment |
| November 16 | Chingy | Powerballin' | Full Dekk Music Group, Capitol Records |
| November 16 | Lil Jon & The East Side Boyz | Crunk Juice | BME Recordings, TVT Records |
| November 16 | MF Doom | Mm..Food | Rhymesayers Entertainment |
| November 16 | Monoxide Child | Chainsmoker LP | Psychopathic Records |
| November 16 | R.A. the Rugged Man | Die, Rugged Man, Die | Nature Sounds |
| November 16 | Snoop Dogg | R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece | Doggystyle Records, Star Trak Entertainment, Geffen Records |
| November 23 | Apathy | Where's Your Album?!! | |
| November 23 | Axe Murder Boyz | The Unforgiven Forest | Canonize Productions |
| November 23 | The Diplomats | Diplomatic Immunity 2 | Diplomat Records, Koch Records |
| November 30 | Nas | Street's Disciple | Ill Will Records, Columbia Records |
| November 30 | T.I. | Urban Legend | Grand Hustle Records, Atlantic Records |
| December 7 | Cam'ron | Purple Haze | Roc-A-Fella Records, Diplomat Records, Def Jam Recordings |
| December 7 | Ludacris | The Red Light District | Disturbing tha Peace, Def Jam Recordings |
| December 14 | Xzibit | Weapons of Mass Destruction | Open Bar Entertainment, Columbia Records, Sony Music |
| December 14 | 2Pac | Loyal to the Game | Amaru Entertainment, Interscope Records |

## Highest-charting singles

Hip hop singles from any year which charted in the 2004 Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 :
| Song | Artist | Project | Peak position |
| "Slow Jamz" | Twista & Kanye West featuring Jamie Foxx | Kamikaze and The College Dropout | 1 |
| "Drop It Like It's Hot" | Snoop Dogg featuring Pharrell Williams | R&G: The Masterpiece | 1 |
| "The Way You Move" | OutKast featuring Sleepy Brown | Speakerboxxx/The Love Below | 1 |
| "Slow Motion" | Juvenile featuring Soulja Slim | Juve the Great | 1 |
| "Over and Over" | Nelly featuring Tim McGraw | Suit | 3 |
| "My Place" | Nelly featuring Jaheim | Suit | 4 |
| "Dirt off Your Shoulder" | Jay-Z | The Black Album | 5 |
| "Just Lose It" | Eminem | Encore | 6 |
| "My Band" | D12 | D-12 World | 6 |
| "Overnight Celebrity" | Twista | Kamikaze | 6 |
| "All Falls Down" | Kanye West featuring Syleena Johnson | The College Dropout | 7 |
| "Let's Go" | Trick Daddy featuring Lil Jon & Twista | Thug Matrimony: Married to the Streets | 7 |
| "On Fire" | Lloyd Banks feat. 50 Cent | The Hunger For More | 8 |
| "Roses" | OutKast | Speakerboxxx/The Love Below | 9 |
| "Breathe" | Fabolous | Real Talk | 10 |
| "Jesus Walks" | Kanye West | The College Dropout | 11 |
| "Why?" | Jadakiss featuring Anthony Hamilton | Kiss of Death | 11 |
| "Go D.J." | Lil Wayne | Tha Carter | 14 |
| "Through The Wire" | Kanye West | The College Dropout | 15 |
| "Headsprung"28 | LL Cool J | The DEFinition | 16 |
| "U Make Me Wanna" | Jadakiss featuring Mariah Carey | Kiss of Death | 21 |
| "So Sexy" | Twista featuring R. Kelly | Kamikaze | 25 |
| "Hush" | LL Cool J featuring 7 Aurelius | The DEFinition | 26 |
| "How Come" | D12 | D-12 World | 27 |
| "Breathe, Stretch, Shake" | Mase featuring P. Diddy | Welcome Back | 28 |
| "99 Problems" | Jay-Z | The Black Album | 30 |
| "Rubber Band Man" | T.I. | Trap Muzik | 30 |
| "What's Happ'nin!" | Ying Yang Twins featuring Trick Daddy | Me & My Brother | 30 |
| "Nolia Clap" | UTP | The Beginning of the End.... | 31 |
| "Welcome Back" | Mase | Welcome Back | 32 |
| "Gangsta Nation" | Westside Connection featuring Nate Dogg | Terrorist Threats | 33 |
| "Let Me In" | Young Buck featuring 50 Cent | Straight Outta Cashville | 34 |
| "Let's Get Away" | T.I. | Trap Muzik | 35 |
| "I Can't Wait" | Sleepy Brown featuring OutKast | Barbershop 2: Back in Business (soundtrack) | 40 |

## Highest first-week sales

List of top ten albums released in 2004, according to first-week home market sales. :
| Number | Album | Artist | 1st-week sales | 1st-week position |
| 1 | Encore | Eminem | 710,000 | 1 |
| 2 | D12 World | D12 | 544,000 | 1 |
| 3 | The College Dropout | Kanye West | 441,000 | 2 |
| 4 | The Hunger for More | Lloyd Banks | 433,000 | 1 |
| 5 | Suit | Nelly | 396,000 | 1 |
| 6 | Straight Outta Cashville | Young Buck | 361,000 | 3 |
| 7 | To the 5 Boroughs | Beastie Boys | 360,000 | 1 |
| 8 | Sweat | Nelly | 342,000 | 2 |
| 9 | Loyal to the Game | 2Pac | 330,000 | 1 |
| 10 | The Red Light District | Ludacris | 322,000 | 1 |

## Highest critically reviewed albums (Metacritic)

| Number | Artist | Album | Average score | Number of reviews |
| 1 | Madvillain | Madvillainy | 93 | 20 reviews |
| 2 | Dizzee Rascal | Boy In Da Corner | 92 | 28 reviews |
| 3 | The Streets | A Grand Don't Come For Free | 91 | 30 reviews |
| 4 | Dizzee Rascal | Showtime | 87 | 28 reviews |
| 5 | Kanye West | The College Dropout | 87 | 25 reviews |
| 6 | Cee-Lo Green | Cee-Lo Green Is The Soul Machine | 86 | 19 reviews |
| 7 | MF Doom | Mm..Food | 81 | 22 reviews |
| 8 | De La Soul | The Grind Date | 80 | 21 reviews |
| 9 | Nas | Street's Disciple | 80 | 16 reviews |
| 10 | Masta Ace | A Long Hot Summer | 78 | 10 reviews |